Murray Will Join Team in Nashville

Coach Andy Murray, saying he was no longer comfortable being away from the team, flew into Tennessee late Tuesday night and said he would rejoin the Kings for tonight’s game against the Nashville Predators.

“You have a bit of a guilty feeling not being there at this time of the year, when everything is so crucial,” Murray said. “As every player does, you want to help out in some way, and I haven’t been much help this last little while.”

Murray, who turned 51 Sunday, had been recuperating at home in Faribault, Minn., since Feb. 15, when he suffered a concussion, a broken and separated left shoulder, four broken ribs and numerous cuts and scrapes in a single-vehicle accident outside Sparta, Wis., during the NHL’s Olympic break.

His return has been delayed by symptoms of post-concussion syndrome, among them severe headaches, dizziness and vomiting, but Murray said that he had made tremendous progress since the weekend.

“You’re still a little lightheaded and all that kind of stuff,” he said, “but all the major symptoms are all gone and I feel fine.”

His major complaint now, he said, is soreness on his left side.

“But that’s nothing,” he said. “We’ve got guys who wear flak jackets and play. Nobody’s going to be hitting me, I hope. I know it’s there, but it’s nothing that can stop me from doing my job. It’s a little uncomfortable, but that’s all.”

After talking to his doctor Wednesday, Murray said he had no apprehension about returning today, even though the doctor and the coach’s wife, Ruth, had hoped that he would wait until after the team returned home Saturday night.

Only last weekend, doctors had told the coach that it could be several more weeks before he felt well enough to rejoin the Kings.

“Things have changed quite a bit for me the last 48 hours,” Murray said. “I’m feeling a lot better.”

*

TONIGHT

at Nashville, 5 PST

Site--Gaylord Entertainment Center.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Kings 29-21-9-4, Predators 25-27-10-0.

Record vs. Predators--2-0-1.

Update--Only three of the Kings’ last 19 games, this one among them, are against teams that currently have records below .500. The Predators, however, have lost only two of their last nine games and have posted shutouts in three of their last six.